Tap switch with blind slot for guiding the actuator

ABSTRACT

A SUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH-WITH-THE-WALL TAP SWITCH COMPRISING A THREE ARMED T-SHAPED DIELECTRIC ROCKER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED WITHIN A DIELECTRIC HOUSING, THE INNER END PORTION OF THE SWITCH ACTUATING ARM OF THE ROCKER BEING CONFINED AND GUIDED BY A BLIND SLOT FORMED IN THE BACK WALL OF THE HOUSING. METALLIC SPRING ELEMENTS ARE BIASED AGAINST OPPOSITE CAM CONTOURED SIDE FACES OF SAID ARM, ONE SUCH ELEMENT COMPRISING A   DETENT HOLDING SAID ARM IN EITHER SWITCH OPENING OR SWITCH CLOSING POSITION AND THE OTHER ELEMENT INCLUDING A SWITCH POINT WHICH IS CAMMED INTO AND OUT OF CONTACT WITH A FIXED CONTACT POINT WITHIN SAID HOUSING BY THE CAM ACTION OF SAID ARM AS THE LATTER SHIFTS BETWEEN SAID TWO POSITIONS.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Lauri A. Lattinen 34835 Ave. I1, Yucaipa, Calii. 92399 [211 App]. No. 803,603 [22] Filed Mar. 3, 1969 [45] Patented June 28, 1971 [54] TAP SWITCH WI'I'II BLIND SLOT FOR GUIDING THE ACTUATOR 2 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. 00/153LA, 200/ 1 665D, 200/6R [51] Int. Cl. H011! 23/24, I-IOlh 23/02 [50] Field of Search 200/68, 153.12, 153.14, 154, 166 (SD), 6 (Bl 6 (C), 6 (Cursory) [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,283,105 11/1966 Locke et a1. 200/6(B1)X 3,308,260 3/1967 Krieger et a1. ..200/l53(.14)UX 2,153,396 4/1939 Sambleson ..200/153.14UX

Primary Examiner- Robert K. Schaefer Assistant Examiner-Robert A. Vanderhye Attorney-Dana E. Keech ABSTRACT: A substantially flush-with-the-wall tap switch comprising a three armed T-shaped dielectric rocker pivotally mounted within a dielectric housing, the inner end portion of the switch actuating arm of the rocker being confined and guided by a blind slot formed in the back wall of the housing. Metallic spring elements are biased against opposite cam contoured side faces of said am, one such element comprising a detent holding said arm in either switch opening or switch closing position and the other element including a switch point which is cammed into and out of contact with a fixed contact point within said housing by the cam action of said arm as the latter shifts between said two positions.

TAP SWITCH WITH BLIND SLOT FOR GUIDING THE ACTUATOR One of the objects of the invention is in the provision of an easily and quietly operated tap switch that is constructed of relatively few parts and may therefore be produced at a low cost.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a tap switch in which a dielectric finger-actuated rocker operates by a cam contoured end portion thereof directly upon metallic spring elements to provide a detent means holding the rocker in either on or off position and contact making and breaking means closing the switch in on position and opening the same in off position.

A further object is to provide such a switch in which the spring elements are combined in a single spring comprising one of the main electric conductors of the switch.

Yet another object is to provide such a switch in which movement of the internal switch actuating arm of the rocker is limited as to plane of movement and end positions by a blind slot molded in the backwall of the switch housing into which slot said arm extends.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, herewith wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the switch as it appears on the wall;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a metal switch enclosing box showing side elevational view of the device mounted within said box side cover removed;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the switch mounted on the metal strap employed for mounting said switch in said box.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the switch mechanism in open position, this view being taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the switch mechanism in closed position;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 4.

Referring specifically to the drawings in which a preferred embodiment ofthe switch 9 of the invention is shown, an open faced metal switchbox 10 has a metal switch mounting strap 14 which is apertured at 15 and adjustably secured to said box by screws 16 and 18. The strap 14 is attached by screws 20 and 22 to a dielectric molded switch housing 24 which is thus supported in a conventional manner within metal box 10 in a wall 25. The switch 9, when aligned properly with box 10, is covered by an apertured wallplate 26 releasably attached to the switch strap 14, at 28 and 30.

Mounted within the switch housing 24 is a T-shaped rocker 32 which lies substantially flush with an opening 33 in the cover plate 26 although it is apparent that operating arms A and B of said rocker extend outwardly alternately for easy finger operation of the switch. The tap switch rocker 32 is pivotally mounted by a pin 33 in the switch housing 24. The cam arm 34 of the rocker 32 is longer than the lower and upper arms A and B thereof, so as to effectively accomplish the required switch movement. The extent of movement of the rocker arm portion 36 is defined by the edges of a slot 38 formed in the inside of the end wall 39 of the switch housing 24.

The switch mechanism of the invention is disposed in the inner end portion of the housing 24. A fixed short metal contact element 40 is screw supported at 42 and the screw 42 is connected in a conventional manner to a standard electrical circuit. Element 40 has an inner electrical contact point 44 best shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. A somewhat U-shaped spring metal switch element 46 is mounted at its lower end 48 on a screw 50 which in turn is connected to said electrical circuit.

A short yieldable end portion of the element 46 has an inwardly pro ecting angled cam detent 52 and, on the opposite elongated side of the element 46 a similarly shaped directly opposed cam detent 54 is formed. A further upward extension 56 on the same side carries an opposed electrical contact point 58 which may be in close contact with the opposed contact point 44 (FIG. 6) or in an open position (FIG. 7).

The inner end portion 36 of the rocker cam arm 34 carries the switch actuating mechanism. On its upper side, the arm portion 36 is narrowed at 60 and then merges into slanted cam surfaces 62 and 64, respectively on opposite sides. The cam surface 62 merges into a flat switch engaging surface 66 and the cam surface 64 merges into an inwardly slanted surface 68 to form a pointed stud 69 which coacts with the detent 52 to hold rocker 32 either in closed or open position.

OPERATION A light touch upon one of the exposed rocker arms A or B will swing the rocker cam arm 34 to close or open the switch 9. The plane of movement of the arm 34 is determined by the sides of the slot 38. If the tap switch 9 is moved to closed position as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the detent 52 will engage the cam surface 62 on said arm and the detent 54 will engage the cam surface 64 thus lightly holding the switch elements in this position. This holding engagement can be easily overcome by a light finger touch on arm B of the tap switch rocker 32 thereby rocking the latter to open position whereby the detent S4 rides outwardly on the flat surface 66 and the contact points 44 and 58 are opened as shown in FIG. 7. On the opposite side, the detent 52 rides over onto the cam surface 68 and thus lightly holds the switch in open position. This holding engagement can, of course, be easily overcome by a light finger touch on Arm A of the rocker 32.

While I have described in considerable detail what I believe to be the preferred form of my invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the shape and arrangement of the several parts.

Iclaim:

1. An electric switch comprising:

a dielectric switch housing having top, bottom, side and back walls, and a front opening;

a T-shaped dielectric rocker pivotally mounted within said housing on said sidewalls, on an axis near said front opening, said rocker having two arms exposed through said opening for manipulation and a longer cam arm extending deeply into said housing;

aswitch pole element fixed to the inner surface of said top wall near said backwall and supporting a relatively fixed switch point; and

a second switch pole element fixed to the inner surface of said bottom wall, near said backwall, said second element being a spring overlapping one side surface of said arm and said switch point and having a second switch point confronting the first switch point,

said second element and a said juxtaposed side surface of said cam arm being cooperatively cam contoured to open and close the switch upon alternate manipulation of said exposed arms,

a blind slot being formed in said backwall into which the inner extremity of said cam arm extends, thereby guiding said rocker.

2. An electric switch as recited in claim I wherein said blind slot also provides end stops for said rocker in its on and off positions; and

a detent spring mounted on the bottom housing wall and overlapping and being biased against a side face of said cam arm on the opposite side thereof from said second element, said detent spring and cam arm, where they thus overlap, being cooperatively cam contoured to yieldably retain said rocker in whichever of said on and off positions it was left in when manually actuated.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION June 28, 1971 Patent No. 3 588 409 Dated Inventor) Laurl A. Laltenen It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the cover sheet [72] "Lauri A. Lattinen should read Lauri A. Laitenen Signed and sealed this 25th day of July 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

